Pro cars at the Detroit Autorama

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Todd Merrifield

I make no judgements, just pass along the info:

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Actually, I will make a small judgement: I'm not sure how I felt about the fact they were charging people to dress up in a proton pack and get their picture taken in front of the "Ghostbusters" ambulance, and the fact that it was presented in a corral with several other cars that were sort of represented as TV/Movie cars. I don't think any of them were actual TV or movie cars, except for the Monkeemobile, which is sort of a tough one to replicate.
 
Todd , thanks for posting the pics i have seen that G/B ambulance up close at the michigan cruise and several other cruise's . that ambulance is kept 1 mile from where i live. along with 2to3 other car's that you saw down there.what is the story behind that 65 hitop like dwayne's? it look's to be well kept in my opinion.
 
It would seriously chap my bass if I had to pay to get a picture with that car. On the other hand, I think those hub cap emblems are neat considering their custom manufacture.
 
Josh, to most folks a big red and white Cad ambulance is just that, be it a '65 Superior or a '59 M-M. I once had "Ghostbusters" shouted at me as I was driving along in a silver '73 Superior Cad combo. We are cognizant of all the detail differences among Pro Cars; Joe and Jane Six Pack are not and don't care. Frankly, I think much of the advertising over the years touting hearses to the funeral trade on the basis of "prestige" is baloney. At a funeral, who knows or cares whether the remains ride in an S&S Victoria or a whatever else?

In my main avocation, railroading, it is common place for folks to refer to anything on rails as "a train." That's all they see. I see a trio of CSX General Electric ES-44AC's pulling an inter-modal train of UPS trailers and ocean-going shipping containers, or a Norfolk Southern EMD SD-70 duo leading a unit train of hopper cars filled with coal bound for an electric generating plant. The people in the next car see only "a train" that is blocking their way. If the Ringling circus train rolls past in all its mile-long silver splendor, the public still sees just "a train."

Devotees of the artifacts of any hobby always see far more than casual observers do. Several years back, a friend told me of the time he and his wife went to see one of the "Godfather" movies. At one point, Al Pacino and Dianne Keaton are riding in a '53 or '54 Henney Packard limo. My friend turned to his wife and started exclaiming very loudly about the PACKARD!!!!. As she tried to quiet him, every head in the place turned toward him. Everyone else was wrapped up in the story and saw a big black car, nothing more. Amazing how our hobbies sometimes run away with us.
 
the "theme" of the GB car is a draw no doubt about it. but then look here is sits all cleaned up shinny and on a turn table. the kids flock to it. the 65 looks road hard next to it. run the wheel over it, polish up the chrome, recolor the seat, wax the back floor and park them side by side they would both get the attention. the difference is one is a money maker, one is a money pit. but if you want to be taken seriously with other custom cars you got to be up to the same standards as the rest in the show. other wise no matter what, people only remember the trashed ambulance. not what it was or the unique one of things we see in them. this was not meant to have people hide there car away but just a stop and think. a little soap and water with a fine scotch pad followed up with a buff would have that 65 looking like a million bucks under those lights. out side in the sun light this car would look Ok but inside different things show up. teh only thing shinny on it is the GB logo
 
Don't let pics fool you on the G/B car, myself and several other's from the the Michigan Chapter and the Motorcity Chapter's have seen that car up close . the amazing thing is that was all done for $5,000 bought, converted and transported out of small town in tennesee , car was orginally from florida. this info is out of the (Michigan Motor Enthusiasts april 2010 issue) pp's 26-27.
 
I think the GB car would be a good looking car without all the add-ons. I didn't see the state of the interior, but it looked like an otherwise "solid" car.

The 65 was downstairs with the rat rods in the "Autorama Extreme". Most of the cars down there had a similar "patina" to them, which is probably why it was being shown in that state. I don't know if the owner has had it a while and intends to keep it that way, or if it is a new aquisition that will eventually get cleaned up. As Ed said, it wouldn't take much. A day or two of scrubbing would have it looking pretty nice, especially the interior. I don't recall seeing much wear, it just looked "dingy". Then again, that was the look many were going for down there.
 
Jim Tighe said:
In my main avocation, railroading, it is common place for folks to refer to anything on rails as "a train." That's all they see. I see a trio of CSX General Electric ES-44AC's pulling an inter-modal train of UPS trailers and ocean-going shipping containers, or a Norfolk Southern EMD SD-70 duo leading a unit train of hopper cars filled with coal bound for an electric generating plant. The people in the next car see only "a train" that is blocking their way.
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I'd be very happy to have someone point at my car and say "ambulance!" instead of "Ghost Busters!"
 
I don't get it. I see no attraction to making a clone that isn't a clone. For that matter, I would rather not see every available 59 made into a replicar either.

One real Ghostbuster car is enough. :my2cents:
 
They have turned me against Ghostbusters

I have seen so many pathetic replicas of that car that do not even come close. I get so sick of the mental midgets that yell Ghostbusters as I drive by them I flip them off. What a bunch of morons!:gun1:
 
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